What Was Your First Scary Movie? Dare To Rent It Tonight?

Do you remember your first scary movie? Did you watch it at a friend's house (perhaps even sneak it in somehow)? I can't quite remember the first scary movie I watched, but I do remember it was either a scene from Poltergeist or Nightmare on Elm St. Both times, I did my best opossum routine before sneaking out into the living room to see what everyone was up to. Both exposed me to some things I probably shouldn't have seen, and one still contributes to my fear of clowns. Do you dare rent your first scary movie tonight?

I haven't been bold enough to try and watch either of those movies again. If I did, I probably wouldn't find them so scary — being instead distracted by the dated and cheesy effects. But maybe not. There was something elemental in those films in that they both really tapped into common phobias and fears. Maybe my clown phobia (which I feel like I have a handle on) would creep right back in — and cause me to check under the bed before sleeping. Maybe I'd have a hard time falling asleep for fear of Freddie Krueger. Where these films really well done or did I just get exposed to them at too early of an age?

I was having dinner with a group of friends this weekend and we all talked about our first scary movie experience. Most of us, like myself, were too young for them at the time and a lot of us were weary about watching them again too — would it bring back suppressed fears?

Here's a list of some of those memorable scary movies, in case you dare to watch one tonight. Heck, even the trailers for them can be a bit haunting.